Will Greer named Lawrence soccer coach

APPLETON - Will Greer has been chosen to lead the Lawrence University men’s soccer program, Director of Athletics Christyn Abaray has announced.

Greer, who served as the interim head coach for the Vikings in 2016, brings a wealth of coaching experience at multiple levels and a diverse network of soccer connections.

“Will stepped in and up to coach our men’s team in the midst of this past season, connected with various offices and individuals across campus to better understand Lawrence and how we operate. He has hit the recruiting trail hard and is working to establish a new sense of the men’s soccer program,” Abaray said.

Greer was serving as the youth coaching director at Rush Wisconsin Soccer Club in Middleton and as a head coach in the Olympic Development Program at the Wisconsin Youth Soccer Association.

“It’s just really exciting to be back here in Appleton, to be part of the program, part of the school, part of the community,” Greer said. “This is just a great place.”

Greer was named interim head coach in September but was a familiar face to the upperclassmen on the team. Greer served as an assistant coach with the Vikings for six seasons from 2007 to 2012. The Vikings made three Midwest Conference Tournament appearances during that stretch.

Greer, a 2003 graduate of Marian University, led Lawrence to a 5-7-1 record in games he coached in 2016, and the Vikings finished with a 6-10-1 overall mark.

“Changing the way we played on the field was priority No. 1, and changing the culture off the field is important as well,” Greer said. “The guys have a lot of passion, a lot of heart, and that’s pretty contagious when you’re around them. Being around our guys re-energized me in terms of looking for a college coaching job. Coaching at a higher level like this has been exciting. It has really lit a spark inside me.”

The Vikings had 11 seniors on the 2016 team, so Greer began recruiting immediately back in September. He believes the hard work will pay off with an influx of talent for 2017.

“We want to get the roster to 28 to 30 players and we’re on track to do that,” Greer said. “When prospective student-athletes come up to see the school and meet the guys, they’re very impressed.”

Smart swimmers: The Lawrence men and women have been named Scholar All-America Teams by the College Swimming and Diving Coaches Association of America. To be eligible for the award, a team must have a minimum 3.0 grade point average during the 2016 fall term.

The Lawrence women, who earned the award for the third consecutive year, posted a 3.47 grade point average. The Lawrence men also earned the honor with a 3.01 grade point average.

Fencers win five: The Lawrence fencing teams picked up five victories over the weekend at the DiCicco Duals at the University of Notre Dame.